CHAPTER NINE

Ethan let out a sigh of relief as the doctor arrived to treat his mother and said that his mother was having a blood pressure.

When the doctor left, Ethan challenged Evenly.

“Why didn’t you tell me about my mother’s illness? How long has this been happening?” 

Evenly drew in a breath before turning towards Ethan. “At least for the one I know because I was observant for the last two years. She must have been thinking about you at the same time, stressing herself at work.” 

Ethan’s eyes widened. 

“She always talked about her little son and Frank. And I don’t know if you also have been thinking about your mother.”

“She abandoned me!”

“She abandoned you to commit suicide and destiny has it that she will still survive that’s why her body was found at the beach in another village, barely breathing.”

“Three days after the boat cruise accident which claimed many lives. They save your mother from being dead and also your mother saves you from being traced by the enemy.”

“How do you know it was three days she layed at the beach? And how did she save me?” Ethan asked in a cold tone.

“Don’t be an ingrate boy! It was in the newspapers when the boat accident happened. The person who saved your mother was a literate, so he dated the day he found your mother at the beach,”

“He took your mother to England and nurtured her into the woman she is. Sadly enough, after 12 years your mother agreed to have a child for him, but her whole world collapsed when her new husband and the little child of 7 years, your baby sis was bombed. All the wills of her new husband were transferred to your mother and everything now transferred to you.”

“You’ve lost your two sisters at two different times with the same occurrence. Isn’t that suspicious?”

“Your mother is the strongest woman ever to live. She lost her husband twice, and children twice. She and your father labored to build an enterprise from scratch but one of your distant uncle-in-law took over everything.”

“Seth was secretly helped by your mother. After learning that Seth was the one who had taken you into custody, she persuaded her new husband to please assist Seth in partnering with one of their company. So, you can get married to Ruby and then you’ll be allowed to run the company alongside your new wife, Ruby.”

“Or why did you think an ordinary Seth family was able to raise to a second-class family in Los Angeles?” 

After listening to all this, Ethan’s heart writhed in pain and he also wondered why Seth wasn’t in direct control of the business.

Also at the moment he wanted to know who that distant uncle-in-law was.

“Who was the distant uncle-in-law? How does he relate to us?” He asked.

“I think your mother will explain in detail. I wondered why I had revealed so much to you even after your mother had wanted to keep things from you.” She said and covered her mouth.

“But, all I know is that your mother wants a vengeance for Frank and Coker. The two sources of the light in her life that was taken by bad people.”

“Perhaps if you do all that without getting injured or dead. Madam will be the happiest woman in the world.”

After Evenly’s words, silence engulfed the air.

“Won’t you go home?”

“No!” Evenly snapped, cutting Ethan off with her words.

“Won’t your husband and children get mad at you if you refuse to come home?” Ethan demanded.

Evenly paused for a while before answering him. “I am not married.”

“How old are you?” His words caused Evenly’s heart to rattle under her chest.

“Going to be 31 this June.” She answered in a sad tone.

“June what?” 

“Why are you asking me questions about my life? That’s too private to_” 

“June what?” Ethan repeated his words.

“I just said why are_”

“You could have just ignored me the first time I mentioned your marital life and I would have stopped asking.” He said in a cold tone.

“And the moment I answered you?” Evenly said while she creased her brow in askance.

“I’ll retire to my room,” Ethan said turning to grab the doorknob, he whirled to see Evenly staring at him. “Take good care of my mother.” He closed the door softly.

Evenly chuckled, softly licking her lips. “Is the young master rude?” 

On the other hand, Ethan goes on his knees taking his rosary to pray to God to please his mother of her hidden pains.

He counted the rosary one by one, reciting the creeds.

~~~~<

The next day, a soft knock came on his door and that was when Ethan woke up from his sleep.

He had fallen into a deep sleep after he was reciting the rosary to pray for his mother.

He walked towards the door pushing it open when Evenly staggered almost falling as he caught her in his arms.

Their heart beat faster as their gaze gets locked, and their breath fans against each other.

“Hmm…” she cleared her throat and Ethan let go of her causing her butt to hit hard on the tiled floor.

“Ais!” She winced and Ethan helped her up but stopped looking at her.

“I’m sorry and please how is my mother?” He asked her.

“She’s fine and at the dining table waiting for you to come for breakfast,” 

As soon as Ethan heard that, he hurried out of his room to the dining hall to see his mother. He pulled her into a hug and placed a kiss on her head.

“You scared us to death yesterday. And is that fried pizza?” His eyes fixated on the plate of food before his mother and creased his brows.

“You’re not allowed to eat this.” He said, taking the food away from her mom’s presence. “I’m sorry if my actions infuriate you but I need you to stay alive for me.”

His mother cackled into a soft laughter. “I’m sorry sir, but I crave for this at the moment.” She uttered in her usual dulcet tone.

Ethan squeezed his face and his mother burst into tears.

Ethan began to panic thinking that it was the pizza that he had taken from his mother that had caused her to shed tears.

She kept sobbing, Ethan not having options but to shove the plate in her mom’s presence.

“I’m sorry mum. You can eat everything. I am sorry for taking the food from you.” Ethan said, rising to comfort her.

“No…” her mother’s voice trembled. “It’s not about you taking the pizza away from me. It’s just that your traits and facial features when you are angry remind me so much about Frank.” She burst into tears.

Ethan walked to her side, and pulled her closer to his midsection, rubbing her head.

“Dad will be mad at me if he learned that I am the cause of your worries and troubles. Do you want me to also be troubled?” He asked and she shook her head. “Do you want me to lose you after Dad? Or do you want me to go far away from you?”

“No.” She answered swiftly, tightening her grip around his midsection, tears rolling down her cheeks while she sniffled in her tears at the same time.

“Then you have to stop thinking, mum. I promised to make you happy.” 

“Thank you.” Mrs. Coker muttered as she pulled away from Ethan, brushing the tears off her face.

“I craved pizza, but since you told me not to eat. I won’t eat.”

“Why? I am going to feed you, but just this once and I won’t allow you to eat it anymore.” Ethan said, returning to his seat to feed his mom.

After breakfast, Mrs Coker said. “This used to be your favourite food.” 

Ethan froze at what he was doing and then looked up at his mother. “You were only craving for it because it was my favourite while I was small?” 

She nodded. “ It brings a lot of sweet memories to me. Those moments where you’d finished 3 pizzas at once when I’d have to complain that you may add weight but your father disagreed.” 

Now what he just heard at the moment wakened the curiosity within him.

“What sort of man was my father? And did you know if he has any enemies then?” 

Ethan’s question caused Mrs. Coker to choke on her drink.